Sunday, November 11, 2012

The last of my Kedah Perlis dishes! Phew! All done!

Because this month, I am host cum organizer, I am supposed to do 6 dishes, but since there weren't much on the internet, I decided to do more so that there will be more ideas and more recipes to choose from.

Kerabu or Salad made with dried cuttlefish is quite common in Chinese restaurants, but normally they come with cucumber. But in Kedah, especially Serdang area, the restaurants have come up with versions that uses green mango (see here), guava(see here) or even green apple(see here). Again, I saw this on the TV show, Taste with Jason (Axian)

Since I have never eaten this, I look at the pictures and I tried to imagine the taste. One of my reader, Mel, has a cousin who dines at Sin Aik Kee very often, almost like weekly. So, she helped me ask what are the ingredients detected in the salad. I was told, lime, chilli, and honey. No belacan. The rest, I could see visually.

Lena helped me get these dried cuttlefish as the ones sold in Giant were pretty bland. Lena also helped me ask her friend on how to make the crispy cuttlefish just like in restaurants. I was told, to dry fry on the pan.

So, this dish was made with the help of my friends! All helping towards MFF. Thank you Mel and Lena.

If you want to do the mango version, get the green crunchy type that is easily found in Klang Valley's cut fruit stalls. I suspect those used in the salad is that type of mango because on TV, the clients keep on saying it's very crunchy. Other green mangoes aren't that crunchy, except that type. So, for best results, go to the cut fruit stalls and ask for a whole uncut mango. That mango is crunchy and not very sour, I usually cannot resist buying one packet if I see it, those that are already peeled and cut.

But in KK, I cannot get that type of mango, so I used whatever I could find.

Mango Salad with Dried Cuttlefish

Recipe source: WendyinKK
Original Idea: Sin Aik Kee, Serdang Kedah

1 green mango (approximately 300gm)*

1 red onion (rather small)

2 bird’s eye chilli

1 Tbsp calamansi juice

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Some dried cuttlefish (I used about 4 pcs of 5 inch long of plain ones)

1. Tear dried cuttlefish and dry fry in a pan on low heat until it dries up (you can bake in oven).

2. Prepare dressing. Mix calamansi juice, sugar, honey and salt together. Slice chilli and put into the dressing. Stir and let it sit as you prepare the rest.